THIS POST IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN : 
Nederlands
IN THE PICTURE #34
In ‘In the Picture’ photographers from all over the world share their 10 most beautiful pictures of Thailand. See Thailand through the photographer’s lens, read background stories about the pictures and learn more about the beautiful Thailand!
We have been following Arran on Instagram since the early 2020s and clearly see that he is getting better and better at his photography. That’s why we asked him if he too would like to participate in this feature a few months back . His answer? See his result below…
Hello, please introduce yourself.
Hey guys and girls,
My name is Arran and I currently live in Bangkok but I’m originally from Liverpool in the UK. I’m 28 years old, married to my gorgeous wife Ashley and have two small dogs, Reggie and Riley. I am a Liverpool fan and used to watch every single game but time difference means that’s a bit of a struggle now. I would say now, my biggest passion is actually photography. I really love taking pictures.
I first used a camera on my first holiday to Thailand in 2015. My wife’s cousin was teaching me the basics and I fell in love, so I bought a camera at the shopping mall MBK Center that very same holiday. Once back in the UK, the camera was rarely used until one very boring day in 2016 when I decided I would teach myself how to use it properly. My interest in photography grew very fast and before I knew it I was shooting some small family weddings, before moving onto bigger weddings and working alongside some amazing photographers in the wedding photography genre.
The love for wedding photography led me to taking my camera with me on 3 Asian adventures, travelling in Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines and Indonesia to name a few countries. Now we live in Thailand. I no longer shoot weddings but rather focus my attention on adventure and travel type photography, as well as street photography!
So i think that’s enough about me, let’s look at my 12 favourite images from Thailand.
The very best from Bangkok!
Arran
#1
This has to be one of my favourite images ever. My wife and I were on holiday in Koh Chang, an island in the gulf of Thailand. We actually got stuck in our hotel for all but one day due to severe weather. This was taken on our one day away from the hotel and this little girl sat with my wife and i for a drink, she was super cute, spoke zero English, but that doesn’t matter, she just wanted some attention and a smile while her mum was working on a food stall.
#2
Again taken on our Koh Chang holiday. The night before our only day away from the hotel. This was taken on the small boat dock that the hotel owned, a rare sight of sunshine. I remember my wife and I laughing and joking how it was the only time we has seen the sun all week!
What is your favorite destination in Thailand?
I think my favourite destination in Thailand is Krabi. Railay Beach in particular. The south of Thailand is simply breathtaking no matter where you go really, but Railay holds a special place in my heart due to our wedding being held at the amazing Rayavadee Resort. The 3 beaches that are located in and around Railay are really awesome! Railay East, Railay West and Phra Nang Beach. They all offer something different.
Which place / destination in Thailand is still on your wish list to visit?
The whole of Thailand is on my wishlist, but in particular Khao Sok National Park. Khao Sok boasts a huge fresh water lake (Cheow Lan Lake) that is surrounded by Thailand’s iconic limestone cliffs. The scenery looks amazing and the idea of swimming in a freshwater lake with those views has really caught my attention.
#3
The lonely tree. Again, shot in Krabi, I was up for my morning walk along the beach and I saw this tree standing alone. I wanted a silhouette type shot with the sunset in the background. I absolutely love this shot! One of my favourites ever.
#4
One of the most unbelievable natural events I’ve ever witnessed. Kanchanaburi looking over the River Kwai towards some severe storm clouds. The sun was causing the orange glow and then the cool storm clouds caused the blow tints. Absolutely amazing to see this happening.
Which place / destination do you recommend our readers to visit and why?
That’s a really tricky question to answer. It really depends what you want and what you enjoy or want to see. I suppose personally I would advise maybe Kanchanaburi. It is a 2-3 hour trip west of Bangkok and has waterfalls, jungle and rivers to explore. Not to mention the amazing bridge of the River Kwai and death railway. There is a world war 2 museum all about the bridge and the history of the area during world war 2.
Where do you like to eat?
I don’t actually have a particular favourite stall, but i have a favourite dish. Ba Mhee Mhoo Daeng (บะหมี่หมูแดง). This is a clear noodle soup with pork or sometimes chicken and it is just sooooooo tasty. I can’t get enough of it.
#5
A recent image from 2021. I feel this image has a real magical quality that I just can’t figure out again. Sunrise over a Thai temples in Bangkok is an amazing sight. I just can’t get enough of the culture here.
#6
The most recent image (2021). There is just something about this image that I absolutely love. I don’t know what it is, maybe the clouds, maybe the lanterns hanging in readiness for celebrations, or maybe it’s just the sheer size of these temples that I just love to explore.
Tip us a nice coffee shop or bar where our readers can drop by.
The best coffee shop I’ve found in Bangkok is called Alto Coffee, the one I always go to is at the junction of Soi 18 and Sukhumvit Road, but I believe there are a lot of other shops around the city! The coffee here is just amazing!!!!
What is your favorite Thai dish?
I think i already answered that in Question 4. Ba Mhee Mhoo Daeng (บะหมี่หมูแดง). You need to try it!
#7
This is a picture of Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai. My wife and always love to explore temples as often as possible. Being from a western world, the temples of Asia always blow my mind. This was no exception. I wanted a shot of both the newer part and the ancient part of the temple in one shot and here it is.
#8
Near the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park you will find a cave called Phraya Nakhon. This is really worth a visit, a small hike to reach the main cave, maybe 20 minutes up relatively steep steps, but so worth the effort. If you can go early in the day, before 10am, you will witness the shaft of light bathing the temple that is built within the cave. Amazing place to visit!
What is your favorite accommodation in Thailand?
Again none in particular stand out really as we like to try new places whenever we travel. The obvious answer is the Rayavadee in Railay. However, it’s expensive (but has outstanding quality) and I would tend to push people to spend less money on accommodation and spend the money on experiences, excursions instead.
Do you have a (travel) tip that might come in handy in Thailand?
My biggest tip would be to explore!!! You can explore in Bangkok itself, walk as far as you can, and just get off the beaten track a little bit. Sure, try to see the must see locations but then try and find the millions of hidden gems, culture and people that Thailand has to offer. That goes for whatever destination in Thailand you might visit, not just Bangkok.
Is there a Thai phrase or word our readers need to learn?
The lazy answer is you can usually get by in Thailand speaking English. I don’t speak very much Thai at all and I live here. Mai Ohw which means I don’t want to, and Mai Dai which means can not. They could be useful when ordering food etc…
#9
Definitely never going to win any awards, it’s just a picture of my wife on our holiday, but to me it means so much more. My wife absolutely adores Krabi which is where this image was taken. She also loves the ocean and I just feel this image shows my life here in Thailand.
#10
Another picture that brings back great memories. This was taken at a small national park called Khao Sam Roi Yot. This is a freshwater lake, and a fisherman catching his food for the day. The backdrop of the limestone cliffs just makes this image for me, so much better. One of the most serene places I’ve ever seen.
What type / brand of camera do you use?
I used to use a Fujifilm Xt3 and various lenses. Now I use a Nikon Z6 with various lenses. All the images here were taken with one of these two cameras! I’m super impressed with my nikon so far compared to my Fuji. The pictures have a much nicer quality in my opinion.
Where can our readers find your work / photos?
If people want to find me check these options:
– Instagram
– Facebook
– YouTube
– Blog / Portfolio
Last question, who should we also ask our ‘In the Picture’ feature?
I think the best option would be to look at Derrick_2807. He has a great mix of street photography and travel photography in and around Bangkok and Thailand. Plus he is a super nice guy. Also Dames May a fellow Brit but doesn’t live here in Thailand, he has some great vacation photos!
#11
A shot from Hua Lamphong train station. I love street photography, I often just pick a location, make my way there for the first light and wander around until lunch time. This is kind of a weekend routine for me. This was one of those days, I chose Hua Lamphong, and walked around, almost gave up with nothing really very good, then I found these train cleaners. The sun was backlighting the water spray and I just love this image.
#12
This is the oldest of all my shots! Taken in 2016, it was our first trip to Thailand when I barely knew how to use a camera. I got super lucky to find this shot with no people and some clouds in the sky to add some texture in the warm Benjasiri Pak in Bangkok at midday.
SOME OTHER GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT THAILAND!
